Plus, concerns about the U.S. dollar and raising the debt ceiling.
7 economic facts about prime-age labor force participation
The COVID-19 pandemic recession was unique, causing severe but short-lived job losses. While key indicators largely recovered by late 2023, the pandemic has had persistent effects on the labor market. The Hamilton Project's Aviva Aron-Dine, Lauren Bauer, and Eileen Powell examine these shifts through May 2025, focusing on prime-age labor force participation dynamics, including record highs for women. |
Worrying signs for the U.S. dollar. The recent decline of the American dollar despite rising U.S. interest rates may be a signal that, after many years of very loose fiscal policy, tariff uncertainty is now bringing things to a head. Robin Brooks examines the dollar’s slide since inauguration and offers an analytical outlook. Raising the debt limit. Following a warning from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that the Treasury likely would no longer be able to meet its financial obligations beginning in August, Congress used the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to raise the debt ceiling to $41.1 trillion. This updated explainer from the Hutchins Center discusses what this means for federal spending and why raising the debt ceiling is controversial. |
| About Brookings The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. Our mission is to conduct in-depth, nonpartisan research to improve policy and governance at local, national, and global levels. If you were forwarded this email, sign up for the Brookings Brief to stay updated on our latest work. |
The conclusions and recommendations of any Brookings publication are solely those of its author(s), and do not reflect the views of the Institution, its management, or its other scholars. |
|
